As is well known by practitioners in the art, fence enclosures on a farm or ranch must be adequately latched to prevent livestock or other domestic animals from escaping safe confinement causing potential damage to property, to others and to themselves. Furthermore, gate latches must not only adequately secure fences and the like, but also must be configured to prevent such livestock and other domestic animals from releasing latch mechanisms and immediately thereafter opening gates.
While there have been attempts in the art to incorporate gate latches that satisfy these and other prerequisites, none have been characterized by simple structure and being inexpensive, while enabling an rancher or farmhand to expeditiously and safely open and close a latched gate simultaneously with both enabling the equestrian to safely come into close proximity with the gate latch and sustain contact with the horse while manipulating the latch.
Thus, the present invention teaches a gate latch that enables one-hand maneuvering by an equestrian or other ranch hand or farmhand thereby enabling the other hand to concentrate on controlling a horse or other domestic animal, and also preventing opening of a fence gate by livestock or the like.